Strakosch Italian Opera: Lohengrin

“The interest in the opera bids fair to be kept up to the last. The house last evening at the final performance of ‘Lohengrin’ was as large as ever a manager could wish.”

“Before another very large audience Mr. Strakosch’s artists last night repeated Wagner’s ‘Lohengrin.’ The performance was exceptionally fine. Madame Nilsson gave to the music of Elsa more warmth and tenderness than usual, and Campanini was in excellent voice. The orchestra and chorus combined to make an effective ensemble, and the audience was quick to appreciate and applaud. It would seem as if ‘Lohengrin’ were the favorite opera of the New York public at the present time.”

“Wagner’s remarkable opera, ‘Lohengrin,’ was given last night for the last time this season, with the same magnificent cast that marked its first representation. It will be remembered chiefly as a managerial and artistic triumph, and will, to all appearances, prove a disastrous failure if brought out in future seasons with less distinguished artists. Every musician must admire the splendor and variety of of the instrumentation and the grandeur of many of the choral effects, but every unprejudiced critic must acknowledge the entire impractability of the Wagnerian system of opera, as shown in ‘Lohengrin.’ When a composer attempts to crush down the individual merits of great vocal artists, and makes the orchestra paramount to everything, then he inaugurates a system of opera practically impossible in a popular point of view. Time will show the truth of this assertion, and it has shown already to a certain extent, as ‘Lohengrin’ has been sensibly waning in attraction.”